


the aftermath of pitioss

by Jerevinan



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Hurt/Comfort, IgNoct, M/M, Massage, side Promptio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-02 01:23:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10934058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jerevinan/pseuds/Jerevinan
Summary: Noctis is in Pitioss for several days. When he finally stumbles out, he is visibly shaken by the disorientation and darkness of Pitioss. But with friends like Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis, he'll recover soon enough.[mostly fluff, but chapter two has some mildly sensual Ignoct]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It took me six in-game days (and two real ones—I accidentally saw myself out of Pitioss toward the end of it and decided to save, turn off, and resume next day) to beat this dungeon, so that’s what I used for this fic. 
> 
> I like to write horror, so when I think about the disorienting parts of Pitioss and how eerie that place could be, I couldn't help but think about the effects that might've had on Noctis.

Not far from the haven, malboros circle a patch of ashen earth. The ever-present smoke drifts from Mt. Ravatogh over Monoth Haven for the sixth night in a row. Ignis hasn’t slept for the past two. He nurses far too many cups of Ebony for his health, staring at his dying phone with the hope that at some point, one of his texts will get through to Noctis.

By four in the morning, it’s clear he’s going to have to go back to the car to recharge. He hates the trek to and from, which is teeming with difficult enemies he can’t hope to face alone. Gladiolus snores away in the tent, Prompto wrapped around him. It is the first night in a while that Prompto has slept more than two hours before waking and asking about Noctis. 

Ignis takes all their phones with him. He pockets a few elixirs, too, and uses his spear to vault through the difficult terrain whenever he is spotted by many of the creatures nearby. An iron giant turns its head in his direction, but he sweeps across a large rock and sails out of its vision. It isn’t that he’s concerned about a giant; not anymore, not after the battles they have fought. But he has always had Noctis there. Someone to fight _for_ , to fight _with_.

_“Don’t worry, Specs, I’ll be back before you know it.”_

…Is what Noctis said, but it doesn’t ease Ignis’ growing concern. The magic that walled them out of that ruin is something ancient and ominous. They should never have let their king go in alone.

Ignis locks the doors to the Regalia and starts the car. He flips on the headlights to scatter any nearby daemons, and plugs the first of the phones (his) into the charger that had been installed into the classic car only a few years ago, when smart phones became increasingly popular. 

Not long after Ignis has taken his out and plugged in Gladiolus’, his phone lights up with a message.

_Where are you?_

Ignis sighs in relief, a long sound that reveals days of burden. 

_Monoth haven_  
_Well, I’m in the Regalia, charging our phones._  
_Are you all right?_

Ignis waits a beat, fingers trembling over the words he would like to type but doesn’t. It takes only a few seconds before Noctis replies.

_meet me at the entrance_

Ignis shuts off the Regalia, taking Gladiolus’ phone off the charger despite that it is only at a pitiful 44%, and returns to the haven in the same fashion in which he left it. There are less daemons; dawn is creeping over the outcropping of black rock. The pink and orange blend is cheerful and comforting, but not as much as the fresh messages Ignis has received.

He ducks into the tent and shakes the other two awake.

“Noctis is out,” he whispers when Prompto tries to roll away.

The words make Prompto spring to his feet, raking his fingers through his mess of hair.

“When?”

“I received a message about fifteen minutes ago, while I was charging our phones in the Regalia.” He presses Prompto’s phone into his palm. “I didn’t get to yours. I’m sorry.”

“You went to the Regalia alone?” The night previously, Prompto had joined Ignis; the night before that, Gladiolus. 

“I wouldn’t know about Noctis if I had let my phone die.”

Gladiolus hauls himself up, grunting and stretching. “Guess we’d better fetch the princess. He can’t make it to the haven?”

“You do recall there are malboros prowling about outside?” Ignis frowns as he gives Gladiolus his phone.

“Yeah, I can smell ‘em.”

“Havens can’t protect you from everything.”

Gladiolus stumbles out of the tent. Prompto pulls on his boots and yawns.

“I finally got to sleep…”

“We can rest easier once we bring Noct back.”

Prompto grins. “Let’s go get him!”

Gladiolus pokes his head in the tent. “Hey, you all need to hurry.”

The three of them leave most of their camping equipment behind. It isn’t far from the haven to the Pitioss entrance, but they jog their way across the rough terrain. The sand isn’t easy to run through—especially with volcanic rock half-submerged in it that makes it far too easy to trip on, which Prompto does right in front of a malboro. Gladiolus hauls him up by one arm and tosses him forward in Ignis’ direction.

“That was close!” yelps Prompto.

“Watch where you’re walking next time.” Gladiolus’ voice is more stern than necessary—a product of his tiredness. Prompto bows his head and takes off at a more determined run ahead of them.

Ignis doesn’t mind picking up the pace; the sooner they reunite with Noctis, the quicker his concerns will dissipate.

Noctis is sitting on the edge of a stone platform when they arrive. He hops off, and Prompto immediately claps him on the back before tossing his arms around him. 

“Huh, you made it out alive,” says Gladiolus, nodding in approval.

“It’s good to see you,” agrees Ignis. While he says that, he can see fatigue has haunted the prince during the long days and nights they’ve been apart. But there’s something in his eyes, too, that worries Ignis. “Are you all right, Noct?”

“It’s been…” Noctis shrugs. “That place is creepy.”

“How creepy are we talking?” asks Prompto. “Fociaugh Hollow creepy? ‘Cos that place was awful, dude.”

“Worse. There aren’t any enemies in there, but it’s dark and it’s hard to see where you’re going, and there’s an abyss waiting at your feet…”

 _Abyss waiting at your feet._ Ignis tries to imagine what lies in Pitioss based on Noctis’ descriptions, and he doesn’t care for the mental images it produces.

Noctis sways, and within two steps, Ignis is there to catch him. He hasn’t lost consciousness, but the pained expression on his face tells Ignis all he needs to know.

“Gladio, some help!” 

“Got ‘im.” Gladiolus lifts Noctis with one arm under his knees and the other at his back, treating him as if he weighs only a little. “How long was he in there, Iggy? A week?”

“Six nights,” says Ignis. “Five days. Noctis, have you had anything to eat?”

Noctis nods. “Some bread…”

That isn’t enough. No wonder he can hardly stand, if that’s the only sustenance he has had for the past several days.

“I’ll whip up a meal at the campsite,” promises Ignis, planning to make one of Noctis’ favorite dishes. He’s sure they have enough cockatrice meat and rice… “Your lips aren’t chapped, so you’re hydrated?”

“Yeah…”

Ignis and Prompto walk with Gladiolus and Noctis between them, weapons out in case they need to strike fast at an enemy. They’re more vulnerable than they can afford to be in these parts. It astounds Ignis how dangerous the fiends are in this region, even during the day. The threat of any daemons is gone—if they try to emerge now, the sunlight will make short work of them.

The group takes extra caution as they tread around the malboros.

“They smell worse than I do,” jokes Noctis, and it’s good to hear him laugh.

Gladiolus eases him into a camping chair when they arrive at the haven. Prompto warms a kettle while Ignis prepares their breakfast. 

As Prompto hands Noctis warm tea, he crinkles his nose.

“Noct, you stink.”

“Shut up.”

“Perhaps we should pack up and head for the nearest motel after we’ve eaten?” suggests Ignis, adjusting the temperature on the grill. “We could all do with proper beds, and baths are sorely needed.”

None of them look or smell great. Ignis has made do with toweling off with water and soap and dabbing a little cologne at his neck, but it isn’t the same as a long soak in a tub.

“I guess we could do that,” says Gladiolus, as if he needs to make an effort to approve their choice. Ignis knows as well as anyone that a few days of camping can get to even the most outdoorsy of people, even Gladiolus.

“No argument here!”

Ignis glances at Noctis, and their eyes meet for a moment. Noctis smiles wearily and nods. 

“Then it’s settled. We’ll eat, pack, and head out for Old Lestallum.” Ignis is going to die in that Regalia before they make it, he can feel it. Whoever came up with the brilliant idea to make cars fly should have been more thoughtful in their invention. They must not have considered that Noctis would be the one to pilot it—a terrifying thought in his condition. And not one of them had a license for such a thing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added some made-up history to Old Lestallum, I hope I'm not taking too many liberties with that. (I'm wondering if it was the original, and that tons of people left it for Lestallum when they first built the power plant/figured out they could use the meteor to harness energy? And yes, I think way too much about these things...)
> 
> Dunno if anyone has read the Pitioss theory. I think it’s an interesting read, especially since Episode Gladiolus confirmed that Ifrit was thrown into Mt. Ravatogh. You’ll see some influence in Noct’s description of the statues in this chapter, but not any direct adherence to the theory. You can read about it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/FFXV/comments/5t367b/pitioss_ruins_revelations/)
> 
> A little warning, there is some "almost sex" and sensual stuff in this chapter.

Once they are safely back on the roads near Ravatogh—following a great deal of gripping seats, fearful hollering, and gnashing teeth—Ignis takes over the wheel while Noctis settles into the back seat and sleeps. They keep the volume of the radio low, but the soothing tunes calm everyone’s nerves. 

“You think that place was as fucked up as he described?” asks Gladiolus, leaning forward with his hands on the back of Prompto’s seat.

“I have no doubt it was worse,” says Ignis. “Noctis has never been one for detailed descriptions.”

“Abyss at your feet…” Gladiolus shakes his head. “You think he got any of that treasure we heard those guys talking about?”

“I don’t care at this point.” All that matters to Ignis is that Noctis is safe, both in body and mind.

“We could really use the treasure.” Prompto sighs. “You think we have enough gil for the motel for a few nights?”

“Our funds will suffice if we need it a few days. If we need to take drastic measures, we can always look at the local bounty postings. The three of us will manage for as long Noct needs to rest.”

“Sounds good.” Gladiolus pats the back of Prompto’s seat as he leans back, pushing away from it and tucking his hands behind his head. “I could use a nap, too.”

Within a few minutes, there are two slumbering men in the backseat.

Prompto ties and unties his bootstrings a few times before he sighs heavily and leans over the side of the car. 

It only takes a couple of hours to get to Old Lestallum, but Ignis is sore and tired when he steps out of the car. Everyone drags their feet around as they unload their luggage. Ignis reserves them a room for two days as a start, cautioning the proprietor that their stay could stretch beyond a week. 

Old Lestallum waits for the group like a distant relative they’ve never met, one who will offer them food and further hospitality. The few standing buildings—the architecture similar to what can be seen in Lestallum—are most of what remains after the Empire subjugated the area. On the other side of the bridge, a base now stands where there used to be homes and businesses. 

The place is bustling with traffic, not just from hunters. The Crow’s Nest doesn’t have any shortage of families seated at their booths, and people come in and out of the other motel rooms.

Noctis kicks off his boots at the door and falls face first on the nearest bed. 

“Goodnight,” is what Ignis thinks Noctis mumbles. The pillows make it a bit difficult to hear. 

“It’s still morning,” says Gladiolus, who peels off half his clothes before he steps into the bathroom to steal the first shower. No one protests.

Prompto pulls out his phone and taps away in the corner, in an arm chair that swallows him. 

Ignis sits on the edge of Noctis’ bed with his phone in hand, but before he can unlock the screen, a hand wraps around his arm and tugs him downward.

“Closer, Specs.”

Prompto pauses in his game to watch them. Ignis slips his phone away and stretches across the bed beside Noctis, letting him wrap around his side while he puts an arm across his shoulders.

Noctis closes his eyes, far too tight for him to sleep.

“Noct, what happened in that dungeon?” asks Ignis.

“I got lots of items. Some were difficult to reach. I got the treasure, too.”

Ignis strokes Noctis’ arm with the back of his free hand. “Yes, but…you said there were no enemies. What _did_ you find in there?”

The pause lasts almost the length of Gladiolus’ shower. The water shuts off before Noctis speaks again.

“Sometimes I saw statues. Some looked a bit like Ifrit, and there was one—I actually fell on top of it and knocked it over. It was of a woman. That was one of the worst parts, ‘cos I fell a long way when I jumped off her. I had to use a hi-potion after that. Didn’t think I’d make it to the bottom. There were places where I could barely balance myself, and I’d have to leap from one beam to the next. I couldn’t see anything beneath me.”

Gladiolus steps into the room, toweling off his hair and in nothing but his Crownsguard pants. The expression on his face suggests he overheard most of Noctis’ descriptions thus far.

“There was one area where I couldn’t tell what was up or down. I didn’t know until gravity took hold and I was sliding or falling over. Some strange magic in that place managed to bring me back, but falling like that…” He goes on to vaguely describe different puzzles, including heated spikes, dials with slots in them that required him to leap at the right moment to carry him across large distances, and an assortment of other booby traps. “I tried to think of it like a video game, a platformer. Didn’t last long.” He chuckles, but it’s a hollow sound. “Cake, baby.”

“It was foolish to let you go in,” says Ignis. “I should have known when the magic wouldn’t allow for the rest of us that there was nothing good that could come of your entering.”

“I scored a ton of oracle ascension coins,” says Noctis, laughing not unlike he does when he takes a blow from an enemy that nearly knocks him unconscious. “Some good equipment, too. Plus a lot of junk we can pawn off for gil. I can’t say it was a bad haul.”

“Worth six days of mental anguish?” Ignis doesn’t care if he sounds overdramatic; even without any enemies, there is nothing healthy that can come from being away from fresh air and warm sunlight for six days. It reminds him of some of his studies on the penal system reform in Insomnia, where prisons had once been dungeons with little to no light before arguments had been made for secured yards, barred windows, and better lighting. 

Noctis huffs. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I wouldn’t do it again.”

“I wouldn’t allow it even if you wanted to.”

Gladiolus raises an eyebrow at Ignis.

Ignis begins to stand, tugging gently at Noctis’ arm. “Let’s have a bath. I think it would do you some good. I’ll wash your hair for you.”

“That’d be nice. But do I have to get up?” Noctis groans and grunts as he eases his way out of bed, even with assistance. The two disappear into the bathroom, and Ignis doesn’t care if the other two decide to talk about it.

~*~

Beneath Ignis’ careful massaging of his scalp, Noctis grimaces from pain. They sit in the bath together, Noctis gripping onto Ignis’ knees. They used to shower together a lot back in Insomnia, when they had to keep their dating a secret. It would often be accompanied by sex.

The water is inviting, hot enough to sooth aches as the spray hits them. The tub isn’t filled so that the dirty water will drain. Ignis uses the shower head to rinse Noctis’ hair before shutting off the tap.

Ignis runs his fingers through Noctis’ hair, near the base of his neck.

“If you do that, you’ll get me hard.”

“Would you mind that?” Ignis doesn’t withdraw his hand immediately, but he pauses. “You might need the distraction, and an orgasm would certainly help you sleep.”

“You’d let me sleep during the day?”

“After what you’ve told us? Of course.” Ignis wouldn’t mind taking a nap to make up for the restless nights at Monoth Haven.

Noctis tilts his head further into Ignis’ hand. Ignis massages his neck. He leaves a kiss between the shoulder blades.

“Ignis…”

“Yes?”

“More of that.”

Ignis rakes his nail along Noctis’ spine in response, his finger stopping at the cleft of his ass. A little press sends Noctis’ back in an arch, a moan escaping his throat. If Noctis wants a distraction, he will lend him plenty. 

“Did you bring any lube?” asks Noctis in a low voice.

“In the bag.” Ignis refers to the luggage that holds their toiletries, which rests a foot from the base of the tub on the floor.

Noctis shifts to his knees and leans over the side of the tub. This gives Ignis the chance to smooth his palm along the curve of his backside, down the slope to his thighs. Every inch of him is slender and toned, the effort of years of training and months of running and fighting across most of Lucis. Scars from the Marilith attack leave a puffy trail that hooks from Noctis’ ribcage to his spine. 

Noctis hands Ignis the bottle of lube. As he snaps open the tube, a knock at the door startles both of them, and Noctis slips enough that he lands into Ignis, whose back lands against the faucet.

“Are you two done? I need a bath, too!” Prompto’s voice calls through the door.

Noctis groans for a different reason than Ignis, whose back hurts as the metal presses against his skin.

“We’re not done!” shouted Noctis. “There’s two of us in here, remember?”

“Yeah, and both you ought to be done by now!” Prompto lets out a whine. “Hurry up. I stink!”

“So do I!”

“As do I,” mutters Ignis, trying to squirm away from the faucet. 

“We’ll be quick,” promises Noctis, who lets out a heavy sigh as he grabs the lubricant from Ignis’ hand, raises it up, and lets it drop dramatically into the bag with the rest of their toiletries. “Guess that’ll have to wait,” he whispers.

Ignis turns and begins adjusting the water temperature. After he places the stopper over the drain, he glances at Noctis, who is staring at the wall with his eyes glazed over. The fatigue has crept its way back into his face. Perhaps Prompto’s interruption was better for them both. 

“Hmm, would you wash my hair, Noct?” asks Ignis, seeking a way to bring Noctis away from his thoughts and a little closer to reality.

“Ah, what? Oh.” Noctis picks up the shampoo bottle. “Sure.”

Silence falls between them, but there’s a reassuring feeling in the way Noctis rubs his fingers through Ignis’ scalp. It’s another distraction like all the rest, but it works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm worried I made Noctis too talkative. He doesn't seem like he's one for description or opening up. Hoping I managed okay. ^^


	3. Chapter 3

Ignis is alone in the bed when he rises at one in the morning. The lamp between the windows and the other bed is on, casting enough light for the other three to use without disturbing Ignis. They’re all situated in arm chairs around a small table covered in loot, open sodas, and half-eaten cup noodle containers.

“Hey, Iggy,” says Gladiolus.

Ignis reaches out for the bedside table and finds his glasses. The phone charging beside them should have gone off hours ago.

“I thought I set my alarm…”

“Yeah, you slept through it, so I turned it off.”

Ignis frowns. 

“Hey, you haven’t slept much the past few days,” says Gladiolus defensively. “Figured we had a couple of days to fix our schedules before we get back on the road.”

There is little room for argument. Ignis plans to do exactly that; it might be all right for someone like Noctis, who can nod off in the car and still sleep through the night, but for him, maintaining a proper sleep cycle is imperative to health and function. It is up to him to be reliable.

But it is also important for him to relax. 

“Noct got a lot of cool stuff,” says Prompto, gesturing at the haul spread across the table.

Ignis slips out of bed, unplugging his phone to take with him, and joins them in the remaining arm chair. It is comfortable, the upholstery soft from wear. He glances at Noctis, who stares at the table with a vacant expression.

“Is this such a good idea?” asks Ignis. 

The question is for Noctis, but Prompto answers. “Hey, we might be able to eat out at the diner tomorrow once we cash all this in!”

Ignis thinks it’s a good suggestion—a burger and a plate of fries might be something to stir Noctis out of the trap Pitioss has set in his mind. All the treasure items are reminders, however, that set up bars that keep Noctis walled within those thoughts.

“Why don’t we play King’s Knight?” suggests Ignis.

“Shouldn’t you eat something?” asks Gladiolus. He lifts up his cup noodles and slurps down the rest.

“I could go for an Ebony about now.”

It’ll screw up his sleep schedule even more, but he’ll deal with the consequences when they come.

Gladiolus disappears into the tiny kitchen and emerges a few minutes later with a fresh soda, a can of Ebony, and a tray of food. He gives the last two items to Ignis. 

“Some grilled meat we got earlier. That’s what’s left.”

There are only two sticks with a little meat on them, but it’s enough to ease the hunger in his belly. They’re cold and dry, but he doesn’t want to stand up and reheat them. The meal at Monoth Haven was the last before this.

“I’ll fix us a proper breakfast in a few hours,” says Ignis after he finishes eating. “Now, what about King’s Knight?” He glances at Noctis hopefully, but he doesn’t get a response. “Noct?”

“Hmm?” Noctis meets his eye. “Oh, something wrong, Specs?”

“You don’t seem well. Did you get any sleep?”

Ignis had fallen asleep shortly after Noctis did, the fatigue having caught up with him enough to keep him from waking at every creak of the mattress. Most nights, he is a light enough sleeper that he can tell when Noctis is having a nightmare or someone wakes up to use the bathroom. It helps him notice each enemy nearby when they’re camping. One would _think_ Gladiolus and Prompto would be familiar with Ignis’ light sleep and would not attempt to perform oral on each other, but there are many nights Ignis is awake through _that_ , too. 

“A little. Woke up a lot.” Noctis shrugs. “I’ll sleep some more soon.” As he says this, he yawns.

“Did you sleep at all in that place?” asks Prompto, and Ignis shoots him a stern expression. Prompto bows his head, but the damage has been done.

“More like I passed out,” says Noctis. He lets out a hollow laugh. “A little hard when you’re afraid you’ll roll over into a bottomless pit. Was hard to find a place safe enough to rest, and even when I did, I had no idea if daemons would show up. It seems like the perfect place for them to appear. But the silence kind of makes you go crazy.”

“Sounds terrifying,” says Prompto sympathetically. “Sorry I brought it up.” He dares a glance at Ignis as if hopeful that it will make up for his blunder.

“I’m fine,” says Noctis, who doesn’t seem fine at all.

“We’ll pawn this stuff off in the morning,” says Gladiolus. He starts tossing a lot of the loot from the table in a sack. “Hey, Ignis, isn’t there a good tackle shop near here?”

Ignis nods. “Yes, I do believe there is one nearby.”

Noctis lights up at this news. “What, really? Let’s go in the morning, after we sell off the stuff I collected. Then I can get some lures, maybe some more line.”

A personalized shopping trip followed by some quiet time on a dock is exactly what Noctis needs, and Ignis is grateful to Gladiolus for coming up with the idea. 

“Sounds like a plan,” says Ignis, smiling as he opens his can of Ebony.

~*~

Noctis buys two lures and a few spools of dragon’s beard. He’s aware Ignis is keeping a more than watchful eye on him, so he forces some enthusiasm into his voice when they set up their chairs on the dock. He casts out a line.

It turns out fishing—something that allows him to be alone with his thoughts—isn’t such a good idea after all. Not wanting to disappoint any of his companions, he stares into the water and waits. It’ll be better if a fish bites and he’s preoccupied with reeling it in.

There are many comforting noises. Each bird chirping, the sound of the rushing river, and the crickets in the brush all give him grounding. Sometimes he thinks he never went into Pitioss in the first place, that it was all a bad dream.

His line tugs. He hadn’t been teasing the lure, but it must have appealed to something in the water, because the line snaps taunt. He doesn’t have to battle the fish long before he has a salmon flapping on the end of his clip. The guys pat him on the back and cheer him on. It’s a good catch. Ignis promises to make all of them dinner with it later that evening.

The sound of their shoes against the metal dock echoes in his ears. His mind goes back to the vast rooms, dimly lit, where he had to jump from one bar to the next. 

He shuts his eyes involuntarily.

“Are you all right, Noct?” asks Ignis.

“I’m fine.” His voice is sharp. “Still tired, that’s all.”

“We can go back if you want.”

“I’ve only caught one fish.”

“Can’t stop now,” agrees Gladiolus, grinning. “More of that salmon for all of us, right, Noct?”

“Hell yeah.” Noctis forces a smile.

He casts the line out again, aiming toward the bridge. He can see the silhouettes of fish near the surface. Some begin to follow the lure as he reels it in. 

A fish snags it. He stands up from his chair to show that he’s into this, that there is nothing for any of the other guys to worry about. But his left foot never touches the dock. His heart drops the same way it did when he was a kid and missed a step going down the stairs. He thinks of more recent times he has had that feeling. He’s going to fall, tumbling through darkness until some odd magic brings him back. Before his shoe dips into the water, he flings his weight in opposite direction.

He’s still holding the rod in his hands when everything comes back into focus. His back is against the metal dock, and he realizes there’s a dull pain throbbing where the two connected. The line has snapped. One of his new lures has been taken, but his head is filled with static and anger, leaving no room for disappointment.

Prompto and Ignis both offer their hands. Noctis thrusts his rod at Ignis and rolls over to stand up on his own.

“You okay?” asks Gladiolus, sounding as mad as he does concerned. “What the fuck was that?”

“I wasn’t paying attention. Got my chair too close to the dock.”

“You freaked out, Noct.”

“You screamed,” adds Prompto.

Noctis feels the humiliation creep through him.

“I’m fine!” He shoves them aside and stomps up the stairs to the bridge, leaving his tackle box, chairs, and friends behind him.

It isn’t until he’s sitting in the backseat of the car that he feels any remorse, but it isn’t enough to apologize. He knows he ought to, that it isn’t their fault they care, but he doesn’t want to feel this way and cause them any worry.

As if he didn’t make it worse. How can exploding at them not be cause for more concern?

Noctis watches the others return to the car through the side mirrors, and he makes a point to pretend he isn’t watching them. Gladiolus only carries a couple of chairs, and Prompto and Ignis have brought back everything else, including Noctis’ fishing gear.

Ignis drops a paper sack into Noctis’ lap.

“I replaced the lure you lost earlier,” he says. “I thought it might come in handy to have another.”

“Thanks, Specs.” It’s all Noctis can manage as his throat tightens. How is it easier to get his mind away from Pitioss when he’s angry instead of when he’s relaxing? He wants to hang onto that unjustified fury, replacing one misery with another.

Ignis drives while Noctis feigns sleep in the backseat. He doesn’t like to close his eyes, but the sun is warm and glowing against his face as a reminder that he’s no longer traversing the eternal depths of Pitioss. He knows he’ll soon forget, but he isn’t sure when. It won’t be soon enough before the memory is so distant that he wonders if it happened at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This is going to be a fluffy fic," I told myself as I started to write this fic. "There will be cuddle piles and kisses. THESE BOYS DESERVE HAPPINESS."
> 
> whoops?
> 
> ...My fave genre is horror, especially the "who knows what's lurking around every corner" suspense variety. That, and I'm a sucker for creepy creatures. But Pitioss didn't have any of those. 
> 
> All the happiness is packed into the last half of the final chapter. :')


	4. Chapter 4

Ignis reads using the light pouring in from the motel windows. Or at least that’s what he tries to do—his thoughts are on Noctis, who is sleeping in the bed nearest to the door. They’re the only ones in the room. Gladiolus talked Prompto into taking a run, though Ignis suspects they’re sampling the local delicacies despite the promise of salmon for dinner.

Once they returned from the failed fishing expedition, Noctis ducked into their room and rolled himself in a blanket in the middle of the bed. The gesture was a call to them all to stay away, which led to Gladiolus and Prompto’s current disappearance. Ignis found a cooking magazine in the magazine rack on the outside deck and took it in with him. Most of it threatens to disintegrate from age, and the front cover is sun-bleached to an ugly blotch of yellows and tans, but it gives his hands something to do by turning the pages.

Ignis stares at a picture of some sort of salad and thinks about the mishap that afternoon. They have all been through a lot of dungeons, and many of them are teeming with daemons. All of the vague descriptions of Pitioss have piqued his curiosity. Perhaps there are books out there that someone has written, if anyone has survived the place. If so, Ignis might have to find them—in his own time, when Noctis isn’t around.

Noctis stirs, and not long after, slides out of bed and stumbles to the bathroom. The pipes groan in the wall as the water turns on five minutes later; he’s taking another bath.

There isn’t much use in reading when Ignis can’t focus on the words. The cooking magazine is outdated, much like everything else outside of Insomnia. He writes down a tip about slow-cooking catoblepas brisket with specific herbs and spices, but otherwise, he doesn’t glean many new tips from its pages. 

Twenty minutes later, Noctis shuffles into the room, dressed in clean jeans and a bright moogle chocobo carnival shirt, which Ignis figures he must have picked up from some roadside souvenir shop. 

Noctis rifles through their food stores, which are all in bags and a cooler against the far wall. He lifts out a dark chocolate bar from one of the bags—part of Ignis’ “hidden” stash. 

“You’ll ruin your supper,” chides Ignis half-heartedly.

Noctis shrugs and breaks off a corner with his teeth. Ignis can hear him sucking on the piece in his mouth for a few minutes. Otherwise, it is silent for a while.

“Ignis?”

“Yes, Noct?”

“Sorry about earlier.”

Ignis leans forward in his chair. “Noct, what happened? We all know it isn’t because you lost a fish or took a fall. If that were the case, you’d be angry more often.”

Noctis stares at the two thirds left of his chocolate bar and fiddles with the wrapper. After a while, he closes the paper around the remainder and drops it on the bedside table. 

“When my foot missed the dock, I thought back to all the times I miscalculated a step in Pitioss…”

Ah. Ignis gets it now. “I can understand why you were upset. There’s no reason to be ashamed.”

“Gladio didn’t seem too happy with me.”

“Oh, Noct. He wasn’t mad at you—he was angry because of what happened to you. I’m sure he has calmed down by now. I imagine he’s having a laugh with Prompto while they spoil their appetites.” Ignis pauses. “We’ve all been worried about you.”

“I know.” Noctis messes with the sleeve of his shirt. “I missed you guys in there. No one to joke with, no one to curl up against when it got cold, no one to make jokes…” Noctis sighs. “I was trained for this, Ignis. I spent my entire life training to fight, and I can’t handle some ruins that don’t even have enemies.”

“No one ever locked you up for over five days in a dark room and told you to disarm booby traps while avoiding bottomless pits. Some of your training might have been gruesome, but no one anticipates they’ll ever need the mettle to face _that_.” 

Noctis flops onto the bed. 

“We missed you, too,” adds Ignis. “We might have had each other while you were in there, but all of our thoughts were consumed by your wellbeing. Gladio used the nearby monsters as a distraction. Prompto was chattier than normal. All of us had trouble sleeping. We had to run to the Regalia several times to recharge our phones to make sure we didn’t miss a message or call from you. And I spent most of the daylight hours standing outside the ruins, waiting.”

“That must have been boring.”

“I couldn’t focus on anything but you.” Ignis crosses the room and eases down beside Noctis. He gently places his arm across Noctis’ chest.

Noctis shifts his body closer with a lift of his hips.

“I love you,” whispers Noctis. 

Ignis hums. Those are always nice words to hear, rare as they are. He runs his fingers through Noctis’ hair. “I love you, too.”

Noctis smiles. It is the first time he has looked relaxed in ages. 

“You know what might be nice?” asks Noctis.

“What?”

“A chocobo ride.”

“There’s a rental post here. We can take a ride, calm and carefree.”

“I’d like that. Make it a date.” Noctis leans over and kisses Ignis. He’s warm and smells of fresh shampoo and soap, of the fabric softener Ignis uses to wash their clothing. His kisses are spearmint, lips like silk. On the road, they’ve had far few intimate touches. 

Ignis rolls over on top of him and grinds through their clothing.

“Now you’re talking,” says Noctis with a smirk. His fingers wrap around Ignis’ shirt collar and pulls him down for a harder, thirstier kiss.

 

~*~

Noctis is nestled against Ignis’ side, playing King’s Knight, when Gladiolus and Prompto return from their walk. Prompto looks mildly guilty, as if they’ve been doing the same thing Noctis and Ignis were busy with just an hour before. As soon Noctis glances up and meets his eye, however, Prompto brightens, and whatever mischief he might’ve committed with Gladiolus in an alleyway or behind some bushes is forgotten.

“You’re up!” Prompto bounces onto the bed, knees finding spaces between Noctis’ legs to rest as he leans in. His fingers latch around one arm, pulling Noctis closer until his face is smooshed against Prompto’s fatigues.

“Prompto!” Noctis squirms, but he only puts a little effort into the fight. “Ignis, a little help!”

“You know, that ain’t such a bad idea,” agrees Gladiolus as he steps toward the bed.

“Don’t you dare!”

“Eh, dare what?” Gladiolus bends down and pulls them both into his wide embrace.

“What are you guys doing?!” It takes Noctis effort to sound annoyed. “You’re both nerds. Total nerds!”

“We’ve been worried, Noct!” Prompto squeezes tighter. 

“I think I’ll join you, too,” says Ignis, scooting a little closer. His weight falls against Noctis’ back as he adds to their group hug.

They’re all tangled up, and they must look ridiculous, but it feels nice not to be alone. 

“I guess even Ignis is a nerd,” says Prompto.

“Speak for yourself.”

Noctis can’t help it. He laughs. It’s loud, and there are tears in his eyes, but it helps. These wonderful idiots…they know exactly what he needs to feel better. 

“You’re gonna be fine,” says Gladiolus. “We’re not letting go until you’re okay.”

Noctis doesn’t admit that he’s doing better; that would mean they’d let go, and right now, he’s not about to confess that he likes this.

“Thanks, guys,” he whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THERE IS THE FLUFF! Thank you for all the lovely comments and the kudos, everyone. (And to any shy lurkers, thank you as well if you're reading this!)
> 
> I know I went "fade to black" when Ignis and Noctis started getting horny, but this fic actually wasn't supposed to have anything like that when I first planned it out and started writing the first chapter! ~~yet I ended up with accidental innuendo, like Gladio and Prom checking out the local "delicacies"...that wasn't intentional, but I left it in.~~ I think it's pretty obvious my mind slips in the gutter. That's because I live in it. 
> 
> Noctis may have had to be in Pitioss for six nights and five days, but the other three get to put up with darkness for ten years. D:
> 
> ...That said, I wonder if Talcott and Ignis ever found out more about Pitioss during their research.
> 
> Thanks again, everyone!


End file.
